Steve G

yes i agree kieran, i discovered the b side recently (having only previously played the a side) and it's great.

Some great selections there Pikeys Dog, Walls that separate us and Uphill climb - stone classics. His Wand one is great too, as is (for the 70s crowd Let me come back on Brunswick.

Yes was going to suggest it could be dropped down for JS. It's a typical Hi dancer, a bit bouncy but not too fast at -6.

I agree Gareth with Mercury Philips, shocking stuff, five plays and you are lucky if they don't have needle burn And that's before any northern DJ has back cued them I think my aversion to styrene is they are more brittle and thus easier to break. Plus often the sound doesn't sound as 'rich'. Sebastian, Notations oN Sue does turn up, but if we're including Willie Hutch and Sam Williams then it's probably fair to include this. I've also added T99 on Hi which I put on Mr H's "Tips for 2012" (the B side), which was probably in soul packs once upon a time, but doesn't seem to show up too much these days.....so would be 'scarce'.

+6 - Hey you got to use the equipment fully Sean for maximum impact

And what's happened to T99 Mr H? Not the side they keep putting out on CD's but the dancer side "We got everything"?

Strewth, last winter I went past a shop in Chicago, western suburbs a few miles out, and nearly all of the records were like that , except Shades of Jade on Dore which was NM.

Yes that's what I thought. Good examples would include Carl Hall - issues styrene, Bill Coday Epic - issues styene, Beloyd - issues styrene etc. I suspected it was done because it was cheaper.

...but why were the 'scarcer' issues nearly always styrene?

Yes still in the UK.

Yeah there were some incredible bargains, looking back. But at the time we have to remember that: a) these soul pack records were the records that no one wanted (Channel 3, Ruby Andrews were other ones - too slow back then!) b) the whole distribution network for records was collapsing and distributors were going out of business etc. as were labels and there was lots of stock about. So they would have been records where John had picked up quantity on a title - like 200 - 500 copies. John was getting a lot of stock in (I remember containers arriving at Kings Lynn docks in the early 80s when I went there!). John was also supplying a number of record shops around the Uk with records as well like Black Wax, Record Corner etc and a host of others. So the amount of stuff that went through Kings Lynn was truly incredible. Who'd be the Soul Bowl Postman? I bet he had long arms or a big van! They were great days (I didn't meet John until the early 80s although I bought off the list in the 70s - but mainly cheapies as I didn't have money) and like you I wish I had bought more of them.....but even then we were chasing the big sounds / in demanders etc. and had limited money to spend. Soul Packs were really viewed as a way of boosting your collection and finding new stuff cheap. But if I'd bought more at the time it would have saved me some money Another incredible thing was the front page focus. 50p / £1 records here today gone tomorrow, many have never resurfaced in any quantity.

Was it described as "northern soul totally unknown, brilliant dancer proven rarity, no one knows it, I've checked all the collectors bla bla" ?

Here's a question. Re 70s issues that are 'scarce' one thing that I've noticed and it doesn't matter whether it's Atco, Epic, Columbia, Mercury, RCA, 20th Century, Polydor etc. The rarer issues are normally on styrene whereas the demos are on vinyl. Originally I thought this was because they were using the Columbia pressing plant or released only on the west coast, but as I've got more and more of them I wonder whether it was a deliberate policy to make the demo's more longer lasting / robust?

J2 def a Juggy Murray label, and George I believe that one you mentioned (Pebble Episode) is a different label. Thought and I'd need to check this Juggy Murray's was a Brooklyn label.

But is it any good?

Interesting Dave cos I have an acetate of "The Laws of Love" with just a singer and guitar. Quite nice it is too. Steve

....or only post records you already have Bob

Ah thanks Pete.

Arctic is an interesting one. I'd say the rarest (and I did collect the label and am, only missing one) Cindy Gibson, agree Chalky One of the Brockingtons ditto although I can't remember which one now cos it's not very good. The one I didn't get (yet) is "Chains of love" which I believe is only on a test pressing and might not exist as a proper finished article. Thanks for reminding me of the Darrow Fletcher issue

Geoff cheers, just to be clear it's not so much of a dancer more of a crossover type sound. Steve

Cheers George Tommy Tate circa 65-66. I do like the distinction between scarce and genuinely rare. Steve

Yes they put it out twice on the label. There's also another good mid tempo record on the label as well The Performers doing a version of the classic "The right to cry".

Nice mid tempo Detroit both sides are ok. Not a stomper but quite nice soul record. Steve

Thanks for the post and for sharing your views. However it is just that, your views. So when you say nothing rare on UA I presume you have seen loads of copies of Nathan Williams "What price"? ABC - Tommy Tate - up there with the biggest of 'em I am afraid. Atco Ed Robinson Ivory - think this is pretty hard Buddah - Janice Joyce I could go on.....but have work to do.... You mention things like Sam Williams, Willie Hutch, Gentlemen 4 etc - there must be at least 75-100 of them over here alone George in DJ boxes and with old collectors etc. One persons rare is another persons scarce etc etc. But I do like the distinction between rare and scarce. ATB Steve

I stand corrected.... Yes this is the TV show I have the series of. Sure are some good acts on there and Bob, not all cover versions, from a Chicago perspective I distinctly recall seeing the Radiants and also Mamie Galore singing "It ain't necessary" on one of the episodes. When I get some time I might see if I can get it off of vid and onto a more uptodate format....